Former MP and president of city-based NGO Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM), Chennupati Vidya, on Friday, received the Jamnalal Bajaj award for the year 2014 under the ‘Development and Welfare of Women and Children’ category.
The award was presented to her by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi and chairman of Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Rahul Bajaj.
Born in 1935 to freedom fighters and social reformers Gora and Sarawathi Gora, Ms. Vidya chose to tread the path shown by her parents by empowering the unlettered and rural women through a series of welfare schemes implemented by the VMM.
Ms. Vidya started her political career from the grassroots level and went on to become a Member of Parliament by dint of her hard work and commitment to the cause of uplift of the lesser privileged women and children in society.
With unconditional support from her parents and later from her spouse, Chennupati Seshagiri Rao, she made a mark in her political career and used the experience in serving the needy in the aftermath.
Ms. Vidya was also conferred with the title of Adarsa Manya Mahila by Telugu Book of Records recently.
